Lesser black-backed gull, Fuscus sub-species
Common Name: Lesser black-backed gull, Fuscus sub-species
Scientific Name: Larus fuscus fuscus, Fuscus sub-species
OSPAR Regions where it occurs: I
OSPAR Regions where under threat and/or in decline: I
Description: The Lesser black-backed gull has a complicated taxonomy with five subspecies. The subspecies fuscus breeds in the White Sea and at a few breeding sites in northern Norway, along the Baltic coasts of Sweden, Finland, and Estonia, including inland lakes in Finland and Russian Karelia.
What is the latest status?
The status assessment describes the latest changes in distribution, abundance and range of the feature, as well as any changes in the threats and pressures impacting the feature. The status assessments are updated regularly and inform OSPAR’s consideration of the effectiveness of the measures and actions that have been adopted and implemented by Contracting Parties.
Why is this feature included on the OSPAR List? |  | |
What protective measures and actions has OSPAR committed to taking? |  |  |
What actions have been implemented by OSPAR? | An implementation report will be published in July 2022 | |
Key facts
Key message
The status of the Lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus fuscus breeding population is still vulnerable, but there is no trend in the population size in OSPAR Region I since the last assessment. The direct causes of the population development are still not fully understood. Identified threats are climate change, environmental pollution and other anthropogenic stressors, predation, competition, and food limitation.
Distribution
The Lesser black-backed gull has a complicated taxonomy with five subspecies. The subspecies fuscus breeds in the White Sea and at a few breeding sites in northern Norway, along the Baltic coasts of Sweden, Finland, and Estonia, including inland lakes in Finland and Russian Karelia.
Condition
Overall, breeding success in the Lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus fuscus is exceptionally low, in OSPAR region I as well as in the Baltic, although it varies strongly between colonies and among years. Breeding success is in general too low to maintain a stable population size, although data from the last 20 years indicate that the population in OSPAR region I might on average just reach the minimum 0,45 chicks per breeding pair per year required to maintain a stable population size (Hario & Nuutinen 2011), given adequate adult survival rates.
Threats and Impacts
Threats appear to be continuing or increasing in OSPAR region I. Climate change and environmental pollution remain serious threats. The threat from predators in the breeding colonies appear to increase. The Lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus fuscus is potentially still suffering from changes in prey abundance and composition. There is also competition from the larger subspecies intermediusand the Herring gull Larus argentatus. Other local threats are culling around fur farms and misidentification during hunting (among immatures, fuscus are mistaken for Herring gulls). The general population decline across the entire distribution suggests that the decline might be the result of several anthropogenic stressors and increased predation pressure.
